IAAPA Press Releases

Services - January 2017

Maximize Revenue with IAAPA’s Revised Guide to Birthday Party Events

According to the MOST RECENT IAAPA Family Entertainment Center Benchmark Report, birthday parties were one of the top five revenue generators for family entertainment centers (FEC) and the second largest reason for visiting an FEC. Making a positive impression with a professional birthday party operation is essential to converting party guests into repeat visitors. “The Profitable Birthday Manual,” published by IAAPA, provides the framework for building a party function that boosts revenue and reach.

“Parties can make or break a facility. You never know who is in attendance at the party,” says Leslie Hutcheson, senior manager, constituency programs and services. “Each party represents a significant opportunity to sell more parties.”

The 64-page manual walks readers through the steps of creating and running a successful birthday party program, covering topics including:

Creating core values for a program

Facility design

Party packages

Hiring the right employees as party hosts

Marketing and sales

Operations, from pre-party prep to day-of flow

Designed as workbook, the manual guides readers through build out, set up, hiring, and pricing—key elements when starting from scratch or tweaking an existing program. It’s also packed with takeaways for immediate application, like sample job descriptions, scripts, and supply resource guides.

FECs looking to start a program or revamp their current operations can benefit from the manual. Hinkle Family Fun Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, handles approximately 800 parties a year and recently employed “The Profitable Birthday Manual.”

“Using the book was a natural addition to the continuing resources and training we integrate into our sales program that help us to continue growing and prospecting new parties,” says Colleen Wyatt, marketing manager at Hinkle. The FEC used the steps listed in the manual to define a unique selling proposition in relation to its market, and also realigned to its program its core values to offer the best product it can.

“The Profitable Birthday Manual” is available free
to IAAPA members at
www.IAAPA.org/FEC; nonmembers can purchase the guide for $295.